This week i've decided to rewatch the avatar films on blu ray. I picked up the special editions with the 3 hours worth of extras for each film. I've rewatched the first film and some extras. I'm a casual fan at best and by no means a movie critic, but here arey impressions.
The first avatar film has aged well.
I enjoy the world of pandora and it is beautiful on blu ray. The details in the plants are incredible. A botanist that consulted on the film is featured in the bonus content.
I still get the sense that this could of been a two part film, with the first part ending with the destruction of the home tree. Then there would of been space go explore the na'vi tribes before the battle.
I watched the family audio version with english subtitles. The audio creatively removed the swears, but the subtitles didn't.
The bonus features had the main actors reflecting on their experiences making the film and their reflections on its success. They all played their characters brilliantly, and I was surprisingly impressed by Stephen Langs take on playing Quaritch.
Edit: Also after someone pointing this out, I can see the similatities with Fern Gully (which happens to be the first film I watched in theatre.)
I'm looking forward to rewatching way of the water, as I streamed it for the first watch.
The only good thing about this Avatar was a decent videogame tie-in.
It's pretty clear what's going on here - they deliberately made the blandest, most derivative story they could, so you can turn off your brain. I guess that might work for porn films and to some degree for normal movies too, but I can't get behind using blandness so excessively.
The CGI ain't saving that. (I don't even like those aliens personally.) I find that this thing and the sequel being the most grossing films of all time, to be an insult to filmmaking and especially storytelling.
Seems like alot of people agree with your take. Despite its flaws, viewers found it and the sequel entertaining. I can't see it working as a novel though.